This was a time of night when most people would be comfortably settling into their homes as darkness took over the world. But, within the capital city of Lugunica, there were some people who did not have the luxury of going home so easily, enjoying a fulfilling meal, then getting into bed to rest off the day's worries.

And the royal knights were such people.

However, this was par for the course for these brave men and women who were the defenders of the peace of this country. There was not a single person who took their sword in hand and thought that there would never be a time where they would be assigned to the night shift. It was simply one of the conditions that came along with the job. But, the amount of activity from these vaunted soldiers was not a simple sweep of the city to ensure maximum tranquility one last time for the night.

Notice had gone out for an immediate, mandatory gathering, and many of the knights who were otherwise off duty found themselves filing into the royal castle, their white uniforms standing out amidst the night. Some of them met along the way, walking with heads held high, despite there being very few citizens out and about.

One of these men was a Spirit Knight who, due to a less than proud moment, had been forced into suspension from his duties. And suffice it to say he was more than ready to resume his position.

His name was Julius Juukulius, and even among these trained soldiers, the handsome, violet-haired man stood out. How he carried himself made it apparent at a first glance that he was conscientious of his every movement, walking a trail of professional dignity.

Julius had no idea why the captain of the royal guards had ordered for them all to assemble within the throne room, but he could only assume that it was a matter of great importance. he could only hope that there was no looming disaster afoot.

The throne room was just as magnificent as always. As Julius filed in, he noticed many familiar knightly faces and silently greeted many of them with nods of approval. And though many of them returned his greeting there were a few who did not. But this was not simply him being ignored. He who was known as the Finest Knight felt what was undoubtedly a sense of him being snubbed. Indeed, a few of his fellow knights looked at him as if they weren't pleased to see his face.

But Julius was not unaware as to why he was being scorned by a few. In fact, this was expected.

"This is exactly as it should be. Whether many of them know it or not, this is what is the natural course of events." Only just a week or so ago, Julius had engaged in behavior that was unbecoming of a knight. And his actions had been witnessed by all of those who are standing here right at this moment. In the beginning, they may have cheered, but, after they noticed the extent to which his duel was so one-sided, many of his fellows lost their will to watch such a brutal beating take place.

Alongside punishing someone who had stepped so grandly out of line, Julius wanted more than anything to show his comrades that they should never behave the way which he did.

But he wouldn't say so out loud.

The crimson carpet upon the floor led up to a dais where the leader of their nation would have taken their place upon that exalted throne. But, the throne was empty. This was no surprise. After all, everybody here knew that they were currently in the process of the royal selection which would decide the new king of this nation. Or rather, the new queen. All five of the current candidates were young women, of course.

Looking around, Julius found himself wondering why two people, in particular, had not yet made their appearances. After all, even among the royal Knights, the two in which he had expected to see were integral members of the order.

He was of course looking for Ferris Argyle, the Blue Knight, and Reinhard van Astrea, the Sword Saint.

Just as he would have begun to worry, one of the pair finally arrived.

A man with flaming red hair and confident blue eyes made his appearance. And even though there was no need, many of the other knights made room to allow him easier access to the throne room. Though he wore the same uniform as the rest of them, everyone knew that he was not like them in the slightest. He was the Sword Saint, Reinhard van Astrea.

Reinhard was a man who was both admired and envied by anyone who wanted to hold a sword. He was truly a knight worthy of the greatest respect. And he was also a good friend of Julius'.

As the two knights caught their eyes, they approached to greet one another.

"Reinhard, I thought you would not make it."

"I simply happened to be held up a bit by something that has recently happened at home. But I seem to have gotten here on time."

Indeed, there were still plenty of other members of the royal knights who were filing into the room. After all, somebody had to be first, and somebody had to be the last. It just so happened that Reinhard was somewhere in the middle.

After taking a short look around, Julius turned his attention back to his friend. "Do you have any idea what this emergency meeting is about? It came as quite a surprise. Even members of the royal knights who were off duty were ordered to assemble as soon as possible."

Shaking his head, Reinhard was displeased to admit he knew nothing more than anyone else. "I do not. But I can only assume it is truly urgent." However, while the Sword Saint did not know what sort of information they were set to receive, he had his suspicions. "First, that happens, then on the very same night, we are called in for an impromptu meeting? This is not something mundane..."

"Very well. On another hand, do you have any idea where Ferris might be? Surely he should not be this late?" Julius admitted that it may have been completely possible that the Blue Knight was simply behind all of the foot traffic. But even still, wasn't he a bit too late?

As both contemplated the meaning of this strange absence, they received their answer from the figure behind them. "Felix will not be joining us, tonight."

These words were spoken by the commander of all the royal knights, Marcos Gildark.

If one was to describe their captain, it would be accurate to say that he was a boulder in the shape of a human man. Unlike the other members of the knights, Marcos wore a suit of plate armor at all times. It was rare to see him more casually dressed. He was a true veteran who maintained a look of fixed discipline and rock-hard determination at all times.

Typically, Marcos would have made this statement and simply left it at that, however, he seemed to be in the mood to go further. "Julius and Reinhard, I know that the two of you are friends with Felix. So, after this is over, you should meet with him yourself. I feel it would best to hear about the situation from him."

Even without saying more, both of the younger men immediately knew that something serious must have happened to their friend. And it didn't put either of them at ease to know that the commander of the royal knights was this unwilling to explain.

Julius and Reinhard gave each other silent looks where both of them agreed they would need to do just as Marcos suggested once this meeting had concluded.

And fortunately, it appeared things were just about to begin.

One at a time, the faces of elderly men filed in the room from behind the royal throne. They were the members of the Sage Council, the experienced and irreplaceable men who kept the nation stable even in their lacking of a single leader.

Taking his place at the head of the line, the commander of the knights stood by, prepared for what was to come next. Unlike all of his subordinates, Marcos had been informed of the situation beforehand. And for the last few hours, he had been readying his determination for what was to come next.

"Members of the royal knights, first, I must thank you for gathering to this place with such haste." The man who spoke was Miklotov McMahon, the representative for the other nine sages. "And also, I feel I must apologize for us having dragged you say from your well-earned rest. But this is a situation that cannot be ignored and the royal knights must be made aware."

He spoke with a heavy heart and true uncertainty of what was to come in their future. And this was one of the few times in his long life that Miklotov feared that the outcome was not up to them to decide.

"But a mere day ago, in this very throne room, the Dragon Tablet illuminated, providing those of us present with a new and most shocking revelation."

The tension in the room increased tenfold. Everyone now immediately understood why they had been called here. Information from the Dragon Tablet was vital to the continuation of their country.

After having given everyone a few moments to understand the situation, Milkotov continued on. There was no easy way to phrase what he was about to say. And because of this, he decided it was simply best to give the facts as they were. "The White Whale has been slain."

Gasps, yelps of surprise, and murmurs born of shock filled the room. The knights all exchanged looks with one another as confusion took hold.

Meanwhile, Julius struggled to comprehend what he had just heard.

The White Whale was dead? The very same monster that was born from the Witch of Envy and rampaged around the continent at random?

It was at this point that Julius also understood why all of the royal knights were called to this place. He also felt fortunate that his temporary suspension had been lifted a few days ago. He didn't think he would be able to bear it if he learned of this information second-hand while sitting at home in self-contemplation.

But even still, he could not help but suffer some disappointment.

"If it were us, it would have been the ultimate proof of our righteousness..."

But Julius let it pass. He was not so vain as to seek such glory. This was a victory that the country, no, the entire continent should share in. Lugunica was not the only nation to have feared the White Whale, after all. Whoever was responsible for the death of that monster deserved the highest of praise, for they had done the entire world a great service.

At his side, Reinhard's thoughts were somewhat different.

He was of course pleased to hear what he knew was good news. But there was a more personal matter at hand for him. "The White Whale was defeated, and only shortly after, he returned to the family compound. But, he did not at all look like one coming home from a victory." Reinhard was beginning to put some pieces together. Things were beginning to make sense to him, now. While he did not have the complete picture, he felt he now knew why some of the things that happened earlier today took place.

A feeling of guilt and unease washed over him, but he managed to keep his expression neutral.

But, what was spoken next was something that not even the Sword Saint's great intuition could predict.

Miklotov spoke once again, his words stunning the entirety of those who were unaware into complete silence. "And what's more, the Dragon Tablet has informed us of the identity of the one responsible for this deed. It was none other than the one known as Subaru Natsuki."

Time seemed to have stopped.

No one could comprehend the words that just came from the mouth of the elder. But they could not bring themselves to ask if this was a joke of some kind, either.

"That kid from a couple of days ago?"

"This has to be some kind of mistake. It's not possible. Not him!"

"So...he wasn't just some weakling, after all."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing."

The knights all voiced soft words of disbelief and astonishment. Each of them was willing to believe that the White Whale had been defeated. After all, it was good news that would undoubtedly be written in the annals of history. It was simply one more nightmare that could be left in the past so that the people of their wonderful country could continue on to live better and safer lives. But, it was far more difficult to believe that a person who looked to be nothing more than an ordinary, untrained teenager could have accomplished such a feat. How? With what strength?

But the Finest Knight, Julius Juukulius was among those who were most blown back by this revelation.

An uncomfortable gulp found itself stuck in his throat.

"Was...he just pretending when I fought him?" No! Julius knew a competent warrior when he saw one. And as far as he was concerned, Subaru was a person who had only held a sword a couple of times in his life, and absolute most. And given the strength of his pitiful shadow magic, it was also clear that he was an amateur magician as well.

Though he would not say this out loud, especially in present company, Julius knew that the White Whale was a creature that had claimed the life of a Sword Saint in the past, an individual worth an entire military's might! So how was it that someone who he'd judged as irredeemably powerless could have accomplished something that one of their greatest warriors could not?

The last time he saw that boy, Subaru Natsuki had a look in his eye that Julius could only describe as crazed anger. It was a truly pitiful sight.

But now, he was expected to accept that the person he so mercilessly beat had done something that generations of royal knights failed at? Without intending it, a spout of resentment built up inside the Finest Knight. And it was moments later that he remembered some lasting words from his mistress.

"Sometimes if ya wanna win, ya hafta make sure other people lose. Ya need to take away their goals to achieve your own."

That uncomfortable gulp finally went down. Gathering his thoughts, Julius could not help but think that Anastasia had somehow foretold the future. "Was...was this was Lady Anastasia was talking about?"

At his side, Reinhard's thoughts were at a similar level. A bead of sweat trickled down his temple as he asked himself, "Subaru...what have you been doing while I was away...?" Everything now made complete sense. He understood what was going on. This was the reason that his grandfather had returned to the family estate. Normally, he would have stayed at his place in employment. While Reinhard did not confront his grandfather, he did observe him from a hidden place, knowing that it was best to not present himself before the elderly man. Not out of fear, but of knowing that it would only bring pain.

From the moment that the two of them met with one another, Reinhard had a feeling that there was something different about Subaru. He certainly did not seem to be a native of their country, and though he did not go into detail as to where he was from, Reinhard did not pick up any sort of untrustworthy vibe from him. And he generally trusted his instincts.

He may have said some things during the royal selection that were too offensive, but even still, Subaru had shown admirable qualities. He was not too proud to acknowledge when he needed help, which is why he'd called out for assistance, leading Reinhard to appear and scare away those three thugs. The very same three who he now saw on a regular basis. And he'd put his life on the line in the defense of Lady Emilia without hesitation, despite the disparity of strength between himself and his opponent.

Not many would go that far. Certainly no average man.

And now Reinhard knew for certain that Subaru was not as average as he presented himself. Or no, perhaps there was something special that even Subaru himself didn't always know?

Remembering back to when he questioned where Subaru came from, he'd received a very odd answer.

"It's a little hard to answer that question. The last time when I said, 'a small country to the east,' it didn't work, so let me rephrase that. I've come from a place even farther east than here, a place no one has ever seen before. From the ends of the Earth."

At the time, Reinhard asked if Subaru meant further east than the Great Waterfall and not received a full answer. But even still, he detected no lies or deception in his words. Stories tended to pop up from time to time of people claiming to have come from beyond the Great Waterfall. But, they were usually just that. It was very difficult to substantiate such claims.

If this was the case, it would greatly explain why Subaru seemed to miss certain things that others knew to be common sense.

But, even with these things in mind, Reinhard had absolutely no intention of speaking these thoughts. It would be a violation of Subaru's privacy to do so. This judgment was made on the grounds that Reinhard considered Subaru to be a friend.

Even though the two of them had not known one another for very long, he believed that a certain bond of trust was oftentimes forged between people who went into battle together.

"Subaru, I can only hope that you are safe."

After giving all those present adequate time to absorb this weighty development, Miklotov spoke once more. "I understand how many of you must feel. However, I am afraid I must make one more announcement, and it is of equally great importance as the first."

These truly were times of strife and change within their kingdom. And it made each member of the Sage Council wonder what was in store for their beloved nation in the upcoming years when they finally did select a new leader.

"One of the Sin Archbishops of the Witch Cult has been killed. And the person responsible for this has also been revealed by the Dragon Tablet, to be Subaru Natsuki."

The words were spoken plainly, and yet this time there was no talk amongst the knights.

Upon hearing that the chance to defeat the White Whale had been taken away from they who defended king and country, the royal knights were filled with disappointment and regret that their own swords were not able to bring about this conclusion. But the idea that a member of the With Cult had been defeated by the same person? It was almost too much to bear for these proud knights.

It was just over a week ago that they looked down at the unknown teenager for insulting their chivalric order, and then later that same day that they came to even pity the situation he ended up in, with many of the knights believing it was too much even for a deserved punishment.

But now, having heard that this boy from nowhere had reached heights that the defenders of the nation had never reached, they could feel no shame, and not even anger.

They simply found themselves, as a collective, consumed with a feeling of deep emptiness and inferiority.

And no one felt this more strongly than one Julius Juukulius. He had written Subaru Natsuki off too quickly. Never in his wildest dreams did Julius believe he would be standing here in this place and feeling that he, the Finest Knight, would feel so lowly and ineffective.

"Have you worked enough to stand there as a champion? Have you performed enough service to shame us, the royal knights?" Julius had once demanded Subaru answer these questions, unknowing of his story and unimpressed at how he merely talked big with nothing to back up such lofty claims. And now he had his answer, less than ten days later.

And it was at this point that Julius knew he had accomplished no feats that could match the earth-shattering news he had been confronted with. There was nothing he could say to hold himself above Subaru Natsuki. Because it had been his own words to the other where he claimed resolve itself was not enough and that strength of force was necessary in this world to prove one's cause was just.

"This...cannot be. How could he have done these things in such a short period of time? I have to...I must know."

Whatever it took, Julius would find the answer. He needed to know this. He had to speak with Subaru Natsuki again, no matter the cost.

For the briefest of moments, Julius peered over to Reinhard, and he found that the red-haired knight's face was completely unreadable to him. His expression was so neutral that it was impossible to tell what he might have been thinking. "As expected, he is handling the situation far better than anyone else could." But, that was simply Julius' own interpretation of his friend's feelings.

Stepping forth, Marcos made his presence known at the front and spoke, "As I am certain everyone here is aware, these two events are historic victories that will not be forgotten. The White Whale and the Witch Cult are enemies to all of society," Each and every member of the royal knights knew that when it came to those confirmed of Witch Cult activity, there was an automatic green light to attack them on sight. In essence, the law would not protect a Witch Cultist, such was their threat level. There was never to be negotiation or compromise with them, only immediate elimination for the safety of all their potential victims.

"And by some means, Subaru Natsuki has freed the world of two great dangers. But there are many things we do not yet understand. We do not truly know who Subaru Natsuki is, where he comes from, and where his allegiance lies. Which is why in their wisdom, the Council of Elders has decreed that Subaru Natsuki must be located as soon as possible and brought before the Sage Council."

Upon hearing this, Reinhard immediately tensed. This was the last information he wanted to hear. But to his fortune, it seemed he had come to the worst conclusion too quickly.

"And I want this made as clear as possible. Subaru Natsuki is not under arrest and he is to be treated fairly. In spite of things he may have spoken about we, the royal knights, he has still done us all a great service." And though Marcos could never say so out loud, the bottom line was, this common boy from nowhere had succeeded in doing what none of these privileged knights could. As one of lower birth, he took a silent measure of pride in knowing that once again, there were certain things that money and connections simply could not buy in this world.

"All royal knights will go about this mission as quietly as possible, as this information will not yet be released to the public. There is a possibility Subaru Natsuki is either still somewhere in the capital, or perhaps the Mathers domain. And if anyone desires to request leave from the capital, you need but clear this with me before your departure."

And with that, the meeting had come to a close. The royal knights were dismissed. But even as they saluted their captain, none of them could muster that same pride and energy that usually filled their bodies and spirits when being assigned a new task.

The royal knights of Lugunica had been truly shamed on this night.

It may have been 2:11 in the morning, but as far as Subaru was concerned, it was daytime. "Ugh, my sleep schedule is totally gonna be out of whack from this." He released a low yawn as he felt himself slowly becoming more alert.

He suddenly was reminded of those times when he stayed up late into the night to watch a new episode of an anime that was showing at some unreasonable time, then having to deal with the knowledge that he would only be receiving about three hours of sleep before having to wake up once again for school.

"Glad those days are over." Letting out one more yawn, Subaru stretched as he pulled himself out of bed and turned on the lamp in his room, giving him some light.

To his surprise, Subaru found his tracksuit sitting on his desk, and it was completely cleaned! Somehow, one of the maids had done an exemplary job of getting all that blood and grime off his jersey in particular! Yet another surprise was waiting for him in the corner. It was his butler's uniform, hanging up neat and pristine.

And though it had been laid out for him so neatly, Subaru didn't feel any sense of jubilation. "Am I...really gonna hafta go back to wearing that?"

He was the guy who facilitated the defeat of the White Whale and a Witch Cult sect in a single day. But after all that was done, could Subaru truly go back to the life of an apprentice butler?

When Subaru thought about it, he had to admit to himself that he had no long-term plans when he first woke up in this mansion. He managed to secure his safety as well as get the trust of the twins who at one point had been at his neck. And it was at this point that Subaru had to admit to himself that he was always simply going with the flow. He'd already told himself that those days were over. He had learned to read this country's language, but, he still didn't know very much about Lugunica, itself, much less the world.

And what's more, "There's still a handful of those Witch Cult bastards out there." He didn't know how close any of them worked with Sloth, but Subaru knew he'd be encountering more danger in the future. As long as he had this Witch's Miasma coming off his body, someone, somewhere would get a whiff and make assumptions. Whether he liked it or not, there were people out there that were going to try and hurt him.

And to add, he still hadn't had a real conversation with Emilia.

"Emilia..."

Thoughts of the silver-haired half-elf raced into his mind. Subaru had latched onto her to such a degree that it led to the biggest mistake of his entire life. But, he didn't blame her for that. It was nothing more than his own foolishness that led to that awful conclusion. And now that he had finally broken free of such a dreadful cycle, Subaru truly didn't know where he wanted to go from here. Because if he was completely honest, this mansion was the source of plenty of bad memories, too.

"In just a day and a half, I learned a lot from Sebas and Demiurge."

And, like clockwork, Subaru heard a chilling voice whisper to him. And it was one only he could hear. "I have been instructed to deliver a message when you returned from sleep. Demiurge would like to inform you that his master has requested to meet with you personally. You will accept, I presume?"

It was the Shadow Demon. Sitting on his bed, with half-open eyes, Subaru notices the two-dimensional entity making itself visible in the light of the lamp.

If he was being completely honest, he had been wanting to ask about that for a while. Who did Sebas and Demiurge work for? Given the enigmatic nature of both those characters, Subaru could only presume they served someone who was a seriously big deal. "And there's that stuff Sebas said when we first met..."

Subaru had suspicions about both of them. But, due to the time crunch that he had been on in the past and the fragility of the situation, he had intentionally not asked either of them specifically what their goal was or where they came from. And, his lack of sticking his nose in a place where it didn't belong seemed to have paid off, because he was being given an invitation to have those answers delivered to him straight from the source.

"Yeah. I accept. Just give me three days. I need to sort some things out, first." He needed to talk with some girls, and soon.

Though the royal knights had been dismissed from their urgent meeting hours before the sun even came up, Julius had not even thought of going home in order to rest. Rather, he had not even gone home at all. He had spent all of his time at the knight's garrison, adjacent to the royal castle.

But he did not stay among his fellows for long. He waited until dawn's first light before departing to his true destination.

The Karsten mansion.

His intention had been to pass along the information he'd learned at the meeting to his cat-eared friend who was mysteriously missing. That was also something he intended to get to the bottom of.

But, when Julius arrived at his destination, he found that he wasn't the only one who has news to give.

He and Ferris were sitting under one of the gazebos in the garden on the Karsten property, and Julius had just received proof that what he'd learned in the throne room was factual. It was not necessarily that Julius doubted the Dragon Tablet. However, hearing the same story from someone who had seen the outcome was confirmation. And he had absolutely no reason to doubt the words of his friend. Especially considering the state he was being right now.

"You are suspended from all knightly duties? And you tried to attack Subaru Natsuki?!" Even though it was still the early hours of the morning, Julius could not help but raise his voice just a little bit upon being informed of the situation that Ferris had found himself in.

How could this have happened? Ferris was a knight that took his oath just as seriously as he did. Perhaps even more so, given the close, personal relationship he had with duchess Karsten. How could his friend go so off the rails and attempt to attack Subaru, despite knowing full well what he had done?

The Blue Knight slumped onto the table with glazed-over eyes. "Please don't pound into me with how much of a screw-up I am, Julius. I don't need this right now."

Ferris wasn't even talking like his normal self. Truly, his heart had been wounded far more than his pride.

He did not intend to give his friend a lecture, but in the most helpful of ways he could manage, Julius did feel the need to impress upon Ferris the seriousness of his actions. "The Council of Elders has decreed that Subaru's actions are to be kept secret for the moment," And upon hearing this, Ferris instantly felt a jolt of pleasure. The longer he had to go without hearing people sing the praises of Subaru, the better for him.

"But eventually, this will become public knowledge, Ferris. The Sage Council wants to meet him. Do you have any idea what could have happened to you if you succeeded in harming Subaru, or worse?"

The worst possible scenario Julius could think of was eternal exile from the knighthood. Execution would have been preferable, as it would be a punishment to end the sense of lifelong shame.

"Being stripped of my title? Expulsion from Lady Crusch's services? Or even the entire Karsten family being served up on a silver platter as compensation for my stupid mistake? Yeah, I've thought of it. I was a total idiot. And worst of all, it was the same behavior we both criticized Subawu for."

His glum tone was completely devoid of joy. It was clear that Ferris was not in a good place at the moment. Which was why Julius decided to switch directly to another part of the topic.

"So...you really saw it, Ferris? With your own eyes?"

Beads of sweat trickled down Julius' handsome face as he absorbed the information he had been given. He had also been informed of the failed venture that was the Crusch camp's attempt to subjugate the White Whale. Apparently, the reason that the price of weaponry had been recently increasing in the capital over the last couple of weeks was the doing of a certain duchess.

Speaking of this to anyone who was not affiliated with their group was obviously forbidden. But as of now, the opportunity had been completely taken away from them. It was all in the past, now.

"Yeah. Subawu and Rem were covered in the White Whale's blood. And I think both of its eyes had been taken out, too. Somehow, they managed to get completely ahead of us and do what nobody else could. Not even Old Man Wil." He did his absolute best to keep his emotions under control. He could not handle another outburst, even though he was not near his mistress.

Sitting back, Julius looked down at his lap.

This didn't make any sense to him. Ferris was serving as the referee when he'd challenged Subaru to that duel. He saw first hand that the boy was not a warrior. So how in the world could he have accomplished something that should have only been possible by those in the most elite tiers of power?

"Did he tell you anything about how he did it, Ferris?"

"Nyothing. And he didn't tell Lady Crusch much, either. They talked alone for a while and she came back looking so dejected!" Yet again, he held in his resentment. Someone like Subaru Natsuki had no right to deny his mistress anything. "But,"

Hearing that the cat knight was about to speak once more, Julius turned his attention back toward his friend to listen earnestly.

"Lady Crusch did say he was going to take on the Witch Cult, next. He wasn't even planning to rest after killing that monster."

"This means that Subaru Natsuki has some way of not only defeating two enemies that have caused untold numbers of deaths, but he also was able to accurately locate two enemies that are known to be near impossible to track down."

Subaru was clearly much more capable than he had led any of them to believe. But, that still begged the question of why in the world he acted that way during the royal selection? What in the world had gotten into him to where he would embarrass himself in such a way?

Julius figured that at this point, it didn't matter.

"Well, it would seem that the facts are the facts." Closing his eyes in thought, it was at this moment that Julius understood that he must silently and gracefully, accept defeat. There was nothing to suggest that any of these new developments were anything other than the truth.

"So, what do you think of all this, Ferris? It could put both of us in a rather difficult situation." Suffice it to say, Subaru Natsuki was not going to be a fan of either of theirs. His standing with the ten most powerful people in the nation had drastically shot up. And depending on the situation, it could rise even further. "The next time we see him..." Julius could not finish his sentence, not even wanting to think about what may happen if Subaru was angry over their duel. And why wouldn't he be? Julius had beaten him nearly to death, knocked out his teeth, broken his arms and his ribs.

Asking for forgiveness would be nothing less than a slap in the face. And besides, Julius still maintained that at the moment, he did what was necessary, though not what he specifically liked.

Lifting his head off the table, Ferris sank back in his chair, his feminine face marred with a melancholic, downward stare. "What do I think? I think he's a thief. He stole Old Man Wil's chance for revenge that he'd been waiting 14 years for. And he took away Lady Crusch's moment for glory that was supposed to be her crowning moment."

He didn't care what Subaru thought of him. Once again, he had gotten involved in things that didn't concern him and all it did was end up in heartbreak for everyone whose lives he'd ruined. How could everyone else not see that? The pattern was loud and clear from his perspective. "This is the person the Council thinks is so special? I guess they're going to make him a knight, just like he wanted." Ferris snorted, feeling sick at the idea of sharing a title with that person.

And he was about to get sicker, still.

"Actually, it may be more than that. Some of the knights in the garrison believe that this may be worthy of a noble peerage, Ferris."

Hearing this sent a surge of energy directly into the healer's body like a shot of adrenaline. "A TITLE?! Are you kidding me? Subawu would outrank...us?" He felt his temperature rising and his stomach churned at the idea of being socially inferior to someone like him. Ferris had worked his way up to be the greatest healer in this country from a dark and lonely place. He couldn't stand the idea of Subaru of all people getting accolades he didn't deserve.

"There are quite a few noble families within our nation who have...less than impressive records." This was an extraordinarily unusual thing for Julius of all people to say. While he was certainly not some ivory tower elite who thought himself above anyone who didn't have a chivalric title, Ferris had never once heard him speak ill of the deeds of other nobles.

"Leip Barielle was at one point driving his own lands into ruin. And then Baroness Priscilla came along and all of a sudden his territory bounced back to life." And Leip bounced right into the grave, somehow. Death seemed to follow many men who got involved with the woman in red. "And there are...others like that, Ferris."

His mouth agape, all the disgraced Blue Knight could do was wonder why his friend was talking like this. Why was he suddenly so critical of the nobles he'd always defended and lauded for their contributions to Lugunica. Hadn't that been the entire basis Julius used to cut apart Subaru's vanity in the throne room?

Noticing his confusion, Julius revealed the source for these nascent opinions. "I have been...learning from Lady Anastasia. She has shown me the numbers and given proof that some four noble families have barely been...keeping their heads above water. But, I shan't repeat her exact words." But even still, he remembered them well.

"Really, it's an insult to the gods of cash and commerce that folks like these are even allowed to hold a gold coin! They're messin' up the economy, wastin' money like this. Some of these families have been crapping away their fortunes for at least two generations, Juli."

This was largely in part why Julius supported the Kararagi native. She was one who understood what needed to remain, and what needed to be changed for the future.

"Her evidence was based on their financial records that she managed to secure and the math is...irrefutable."

Julius would not pretend that his relationship with his lady was as strong as that of Ferris and Crusch. After all, the latter two grew up together in the same house. That created a very tight bond that went beyond the professional. However, in the last few days, Julius had been taking many notes from his lady and come to realize that some of his opinions had been too shallow, many of them based solely on his own exalted upbringing.

"Sometimes, Ferris, in order to win, you at times have to take opportunities away from other people." These were the same words Anastasia had spoken to him. And now that he knew exactly what Subaru was capable of, Julius now understood that there was great truth to her wisdom.

These words made Ferris hop out of his chair, almost bursting with frustration! "So now you're on his side? Julius! I thought out of all people, you'd agree with me! Subawu had no right to take the White Whale away from Lady Crusch and Old Man Wil! It was their prize!"

Julius was never going to claim that he was on anybody's side except that of his lady's and his country. Besides, it was too hopeful to think he and Subaru Natsuki could ever be friends. There was too much in between them.

But Ferris was his friend, and there was something he wanted him to understand. "But Ferris, what about all the other people in the world that the White Whale has killed and erased? Don't they deserve an equal chance to exact their revenge, also? Why are duchess Karsten and Sir Wilhelm first in line?" Lugunica only country that had suffered at the hands of that monster. There was no way to count how many people had a grudge over a creature that had done nothing but kill and destroy for 400 years. It would have been at the height of arrogance to think that any single person could lay claim to its life. He did not mean to diminish anyone's pain, but millions of people still living at this moment likely had a grudge against the White Whale. Millions.

It was like Anastasia oftentimes said, "in the world of business, first come, first served." And the bottom line was, Subaru Natsuki had come first.

Slowly setting down into his chair, Ferris wanted to speak, but could not. His emotions told him that it wasn't fair. That it was his mistress who deserved to be the one to get the glory and the accolades. But at the same time, he knew that he could not refute his friend's claim. Julius was correct.

Even Lady Crusch admitted that Subaru had done nothing but use her own logic against her. So if Subaru was in the wrong, so was his mistress. And Ferris knew that wasn't right, either.

For a few moments, the two knights sat there in silence before Ferris decided to speak once more. "So...what are you going to do, Julius?"

That was a good question, but it was also one that was easy to answer period he would do the same thing that he always did. "I shall endeavor to become an even more diligent knight. There are many things that I have not yet learned and there are still new heights to reach." As far as the royal selection went, it had still only just begun. They had a handful of years before the curtain call. He didn't need to worry just yet about a decision being made for the final run of this competition.

If Julius happened to run into Subaru anywhere in the capital, he would of course abide by his duties. Bud, if it was a matter of seeking him out? Julius was not certain if he was the right man for that. Thinking on it now, it may end up causing more trouble than what his superiors were looking for.

It was strange. Those five days when he was suspended were some of the longest in his life. And all he could think of was once again putting on his uniform, equipping his sword, and going about upholding his oath as a member of the royal knights. And yet, at this point, there was nothing that Julius wanted to do more than to just go home and rest in his own bed and be alone with his thoughts.

Ferris, on the other hand, had absolutely no idea what he was going to do. Unlike his friend, the suspension that he was currently enjoying had no fixed time limit. It would last for as long as his mistress thought was necessary. And being absolutely forbidden to use any of his magic at all, all he could do was serve as a normal attendant.

Standing, Julius felt it was time for him to depart. "These events have left me with much to consider. So, I think I will hang up my sword for the day."

Ferris hadn't even been able to sleep since being handed out his punishment. And even if he had, he didn't think he'd enjoy any second of it. His mind was too heavy with regrets. "Come see me again, Julius. It's not like I'll have anything else to do while I'm on punishment." Ferris attempted to sound a bit more cheerful, but it didn't work.

As he left, Julius only felt a mirthless blanket over his heart. "Ferris. I thought that you of all people would never have behaved this way. Didn't you understand what I was trying to show us all when I fought in that duel?" He could only hope that none of his comrades would end up following in Ferris' footsteps, else the honor of the knighthood would fall by the wayside. Julius hadn't made himself look the thug only for his brethren to repeat the same behavior.

Roswaal L. Mathers wished he could say it was a good morning. But it wasn't. At least for him.

Sitting in his personal office, he held his head in his hand, a downcast expression on his face. All of his careful plans had been so completely thrown out the window by this unexpected development. Nothing had gone the way that he had anticipated.

"He didn't form an alliance with any members of the royal selection. And he did not end up going anywhere near the Sanctuary." Roswaal's leg rapidly bounced, indicative of a nervous reaction. His intention was to ensure that Subaru's attention remained focused exclusively on the half-elf, ensuring that he would do anything to remain in her good graces and become willing to abandon anything else, if necessary.

Unlocking a drawer for his desk, Roswaal brandished a black book that, on the surface, seemed unremarkable. It was a Tome of Wisdom, one of only two copies in the entire world. And unlike the inferior Gospels given to the members of the Witch Cult, the book Roswaal owned provided detailed events to the future he found to be most desirable.

"How was he able to ignore the writings of the Tome?"

It should have been impossible. The situation he was in was far too dire for him to succeed by himself.

A flare of anger momentarily rose up within the magician. "How dare he think he has the right to ignore the words of Teacher..."

Things had diverged too far from the Tome's writings. He needed to get things back to the proper path.

"I must force Subaru to use his ability so that he returns and repeats things in a way that complies with the writings of the book."

But, there was a problem. Subaru had somehow managed to push through his ordeals without any losses. And this was undoubtedly thanks to his mysterious new friends. "Who in the hell have you been associating with? These strangers are getting in my way and I don't even know their faces." And to make matters worse, there was never once any account of them appearing in his Tome.

Getting out of his chair, Roswaal impatiently paced circles around his office. Above all, Roswaal needed to ensure that his involvement remained a secret. He was certain that Subaru was not suspicious of him. There was absolutely no reason for him to be. "Publicly, I have done him no wrong. There is nothing to connect me to any misdeeds."

The margrave felt his irritation increase. He felt like he was trapped in some sort of...hole! He could see the entrance but he didn't know how to reach it! Completely frustrating!

"If he goes back and repeats things, he may just succeed again in the exact same way." He needed to make Subaru Natsuki do it over. But what was the point if he was being assisted by these unknown elements?

"Wrong. This is all, all wrong. It was not meant to happen in this way!" For the first time since he woke up this morning, Roswaal spoke out loud, and his dissatisfaction was painted all over his face.

Somehow, these rogue elements had appeared and thrown everything off. But why didn't the Tome, or rather, why didn't Teacher inform him of this? The book was all-knowing and had guided his actions for centuries with him never losing faith in its writings.

After having lapped the room dozens of times, Roswaal's mismatched eyes stared at the book. "Is...it possible that the Tome is losing its power?"

But, only a second later, Roswaal dispelled these thoughts! "No! Even thinking these kinds of disloyal thoughts is an insult. I won't have it. The Tome has never failed and it never will."

Again, Roswaal began pacing. His own words of reassurance had not calmed him down or given him the answer he sought. And slowly, he found the truth he was looking for. The margrave was so unfocused that he even ignored a crucial element that didn't involve Subaru.

Emilia had taken action on her own without Subaru having intentionally pushing her to do anything. In fact, the two had been separated for days at the time with no contact.

"I need to force him to repeat these events, but isolate him from these strangers before they even come into the picture. Then, he will eventually come to realize that the royal candidate women are his path to safely coming back to the mansion and into the half-elf's arms." Yes, this was exactly what he needed to do. It was so simple. The smile upon his face could only be described as mad and gleeful.

Roswaal now understood what a great error he made. In attempt to keep himself isolated so that no prying eyes ever looked at him, he had been a little bit too hands-off. The next time Subaru finds himself expelled from that girl's service, I will need to personally ensure he does not make the wrong sort of friends." Roswaal himself could not leave the capital until he'd seen with his own eyes that Subaru was following the Tome's path.

Feeling himself calm down, Roswaal L. Mathers returned to his desk, humming to himself a pleasant song. He knew exactly who was most appropriate for this situation.

"I think it is time to reintroduce Subaru to an old friend."